2.5 rounded up.

I loved The Guncle, so it pains me to report that it was a slog to get through The Guncle Abroad. The premise: Guncle and the kids (now tweens; a not cute and funny age) head to Europe to meet up with their father in Italy where he is set to marry an Italian woman. The woman has a lesbian sister who is in slapstick competition with Guncle because the kids call her the Launt.

It just didn’t work for me. But I can see it appealing to many readers who were hoping to read more about the Guncle.

I did learn that there is a Sound of Music Tour in Austria and I so want to go on that!

Synopsis: Follow up to The Guncle: a story about an uncle who steps up to help raise his niece and nephew when tragedy strikes.
Pros: Just like its predecessor, The Guncle Abroad is equal parts funny and heartwarming! If you love David from Schitt’s Creek I think you’ll love the humor in this one!
Cons: Pacing was a bit slow at times with long chapters, but these are truly feel good books! Thank you so much to NetGalley for the advanced copy. Check it out when it’s released May 21!

The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley
Release Date: 5/21/24
Format: ebook/audiobook hybrid
Rating: Chefs Kiss, Five Stars, Go Preorder!

The Guncle is hands down one of my absolute favorite books so when I saw that Rowley was releasing a second book with more Patrick goodness, I was thrilled! I know sequels can be tough but I really think The Guncle Abroad perfectly captured the same magic as the first book!

Rowley has a way of filling his pages with so much hope despite dealing with so much grief. The humor is unrivaled in my opinion, but so are the quiet and sincere moments of vulnerability between these characters we’ve grown to love. The new characters were so wonderful and well developed also!

I don’t think I can properly use my words to do the charm and beauty of this story justice. All I can say is in a world that can feel very dark, these books are a much needed ray of sunshine! If you ever take a single one of my recommendations please let it be these books!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

3.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley & Putnam Books for the eARC!

The Guncle was one of my favorite reads of last year & I absolutely couldn’t wait to be back in the world of Patrick, Maisie, & Grant. Just like in the first book, I found myself laughing out loud at Patrick & starry eyed over his relationship with the kids. This book focuses less on grief though we still get to see the effects of our character’s grief on their life now. I do wish that more focus would have been put on Patrick’s travel adventures with the kids vs the pre wedding activities once they arrived at Lake Como but I still really enjoyed the read! It felt like reconnecting with old friends💖

This ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Rowley does it again and manages to recreate the same magical combination of heart and humor. We rejoin Patrick a few years later as he takes his niece and nephew on an European adventure. Great to be along for the ride and experience all the special joys of travel with GUP and the kids, laughing all the way. A snarky teenager, family wedding, a Launt (what!), a little bit of heartbreak and a happy ending make for the perfect summer read! This releases 5/21 and I suggest you check it out! 5 stars!

I loved this book! It gave me all the same warm feelings as The Guncle. I loved revisiting the characters and going on vacation with them through Europe. I laughed and cried my whole way through.

I loved the "Guncle" and was so excited for this sequel! Steven Rowley's "The Guncle Abroad" did not disappoint, and I absolutely loved joining the adventure of Patrick, Maisie and Grant again! Plus some great new characters were introduced. Full of family struggles, loss and love, I couldn't put this book down and loved it!

Okay, here it is, one of my most anticipated reads of 2024: The Guncle Abroad! The Guncle was unequivocally one of my favorite books of 2022, so of course I squealed with delight at the idea of sequel! The Guncle Abroad picks up about five years after the end of The Guncle, with Patrick’s widowed brother Greg about to get remarried and Greg’s kids Maisie and Grant (aka Patrick’s niblings) feeling some kind of way about it. Can Patrick help the kids (especially Maisie) come around and maybe mend his own heart in the process?

If you loved The Guncle, you won’t want to miss the sequel! Do you need to read The Guncle first? This time I’m going to say yes, you MUST read it, because a) it’s amazing, and b) you won’t want to miss the chance to get to know these wonderful characters first. The Guncle Abroad has all the wit and wisdom of the first book, this time with Patrick imparting his thoughts on love languages via song titles rather than Guncle rules. There are quippy one-liners and laugh-out-loud moments, like Palmina mistranslating Grease’s hand jive as a hand… something else, lol. There are also many moments of tenderness and introspection as the characters learn to adapt to their evolving family dynamics. I especially enjoyed Patrick’s own growth as he nurses a broken heart and grapples with growing older.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Book 2 of the Guncle series finds Patrick, Maisie and Grant back together on a European road trip on their way to the kids' father's wedding. Patrick imparts more life lessons for the kids, though more like love language lessons and tries to guide them through this difficult life transition.

Rarely is a sequel better than the first, but in this case, it's true. Five years have passed and everyone is a little older - though not necessarily wise lol - but the bonds remain. I like that we see all our favorite characters from the first book and catching up with them is well done. Another fun Guncle story, with plenty of emotions and quips. Will there be a third? I hope so.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available May 21, 2024.

Sequels are hard, and when the bar is set as high as it was following The Guncle, it can be nearly impossible to live up to readers' expectations. Patrick even acknowledges this in the pages of the book, noting that sequels are nearly impossible to enjoy when the original ended with a happily ever after resolution, which definitely felt like a bit of a wink-wink-nudge-nudge from Steven Rowley. If I'm being honest, The Guncle Abroad is not as good as the first book - but it is still a very strong sequel with much of the same charm, humor, and warmth that made us fall in love with GUP, Maisie, and Grant in the first place.

When we last left this family, Patrick had emerged from his self-imposed Palm Springs exile, resuming his acting career and splitting his time between the East and West coasts to enable him to be a more engaged uncle. Things were going well with Emory, his younger boyfriend, and it seemed that all is well. With this story, five years later, Patrick's sitcom has ended, he's creeping up on his 50th birthday, and he has recently ended his relationship for fear that Emory wouldn't want to be with him as he continues to age. The bigger story, however, is Greg's impending nuptials - he's marrying a wealthy Italian heiress, and Maisie (and a slightly less enthusiastic Grant) are hell-bent on stopping the wedding. Patrick agrees to take the kids for the summer leading up to the wedding, both to give his brother a break and to hopefully bring them around on the idea of their father remarrying. He takes them on a whirlwind tour of Europe, sprinkling bon mots along the way. Instead of the Guncle Rules from the first book, we get Guncle Love Languages, song titles meant to help the kids understand the different ways to show and receive love, and to help them come to terms with their father finding love for a second time.

The book has a somewhat frenetic pace - the portion spent with Patrick showing the kids Europe feels rushed, in order to ensure there was enough time to also show the wedding weekend as it unfolded. I also could have done without the enmity between Patrick and Palmina, the kids' new launt (lesbian aunt) - though they find common ground by the end of the book, the rivalry between them just felt unnecessary and detracted from the sweetness of the story.

That being said, I still found myself highlighting countless passages as I read. Steven Rowley has a gift for capturing the human experience of navigating through loss. Grief is not a linear journey, it has many ups and downs, and this story shows the family navigating through some of the low points, even five years after losing Sara. These are the moments where the book is strongest, when Rowley is showing an honest view of a family just trying to survive. In that, the book is not unlike Patrick himself - he hides behind witty one-liners and the Guncle facade, but he's strongest when he lets the artifice drops and just gets real with the kids, with his brother, and with himself. Don't get me wrong - the Sound of Music fan in me absolutely loved every time he called his future sister in law the Baroness - but I would have loved even more of the sincerity and slightly less of the silliness.

All that being said, I remain a die-hard Steven Rowley fan, and I did enjoy The Guncle Abroad. I perhaps came into it with expectations that were unfairly high, and I'm not sure it was possible to live up to the first book, but it's still an enjoyable read and I'm glad we had the chance to revisit these characters and see how they're evolving.

For all the fans who loved Patrick (or GUP) in The Guncle, you will love The Guncle Abroad! I wasn’t sure how this sequel would measure up to the first book, but my expectations were met for sure!

Again, Steven Rowley had me laughing, cringing and crying all over again! The Gruncle Abroad was just as good as the first and I fell in love all over again with the Gruncle. I can’t recommend both books enough as it transports your heart and mind into a world of love, heartache, and laughter all at once

The Guncle was my first book by Steven Rowley & it took me by complete surprise. I expected a light, funny story & while I did get that, there were parts that completely gutted me. It was a 5⭐️ read for me. When I was granted the opportunity to read The Guncle Abroad ahead of its May 21st publish date I was thrilled.

The Guncle Abroad picks up five years later. Patrick’s brother Greg has found a second chance at love with Livia, Italian royalty. The kids are having a difficult time leading up to the wedding & Greg knows just who to call. Maisie & Grant end up in Europe & jaunt throughout Europe with their Guncle Patrick while he introduces them to different love languages in hopes of helping them warm to the idea of their father remarrying. The banter & undeniable love between Patrick & his niblings is something special. Thinking back to where they were five years prior, when the children came to spend the summer with him after their mother’s death vs where they are now is beautiful. Seeing both Sarah & Joe honored all while these characters have found ways to move forward closer than ever had me choked up. These are characters I never tire of & can only hope to get more of one day.

I am so appreciative of NetGalley, Steven Rowley & Putnam Books from Penguin Books Putnam for the digital ARC of this book. I absolutely loved it.

Patrick, or GUP (gay Uncle Patrick), is BACK! I was so excited to dive into this much-anticipated sequel! I did a tandem read, listening to the audiobook performed by author, Steven Rowley, while reading my digital ARC.

Rowley's narrative performance IS Patrick. And the best part of having Rowley perform the audiobook, is you can guarantee every nuance, emotion, and joke are delivered with perfect timing!

Patrick has revived his acting career and is in London wrapping a feature movie role when he gets the wedding invitation to his brother Greg's upcoming nuptials in Lake Como, Italy. Greg's kids, Grant and Maisie, are struggling with this big life transition, and Patrick offers to take them on European trek before the wedding. From London to Paris, Austria, Venice, and Lake Como, this book is a dream-like escape full of the sites and foods of Europe! The book is brimming with that perfect mix of heart and humor, and I adored the influx of new characters, especially Grant and Maisie's new 'Launt' (lesbian aunt) who tries to claim 'favorite relative status' from GUP! Rowley brilliantly explores the complicated bonds of family and love that is relatable to all types of readers. Fans of The Guncle, will love watching Patrick's relationship evolve with Grant and Maisie as they becoming teenagers with bigger ideals, independence, and personalities. And as someone quickly approaching 'middle age' status, (Patrick celebrates his 50th birthday in the book!), I also really adored Patrick's exploration of rediscovering himself in both his career and relationships. Readers can expect to smile, grieve, celebrate, and laugh in this perfect summer read.

Oh, Patrick... how I love thee!!! I was incredibly fortunate to receive an ARC for the sequel to one of my most favorite books ever, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I wasn't sure how Rowley would be able to meet my expectations (silly me!), but alas they were not only met, but actually exceeded. I loved reuniting and catching up with this amazing cast of characters and meeting some fun and quirky new ones (I'm looking at you, launt Palmina) five years later. In true Rowley fashion, this book had me in my feelings; I laughed hard and cried hard and loved hard. Long live GUP!!! A HUGE thank you to Putnam Books, NetGalley and Steven Rowley for an ARC of this gem in exchange for my honest opinion. This was such a heartwarming, amazing read. I LOVED IT!

Audiobook Review
Overall 5 stars
Performance 5+ stars
Story 4.5 stars

If you loved The Guncle, you will love The Guncle Abroad too! It was so wonderful to be back with Patrick, Maisie, & Grant. The story picks up 5 years after The Guncle and whether our characters want them to or not, life continues to move forward.

Steven Rowley does such an incredible job tackling the subject of grief and he balances those emotional moments so well with humor and light. I loved how Sara was still very much a part of the story. The secondary characters were amazing and the shenanigans between Patrick and Palmina (Launt lol) had me laughing so hard. I also definitely want to visit Lake Como, Italy ;) The story did meander a bit in the middle, but the overall message of healing and love was beautiful and this was such a feel good read. Rowley narrates this book perfectly and his comedic timing really shined. I loved all the different voices he used and I strongly urge readers to listen to this one!

CW: death of parent (past), grief, references to Harry Potter

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

All of the charm of The Guncle, but with an international setting. I specifically chose to read The Guncle Abroad while traveling abroad myself. This sequel to the Guncle picks up 5 years later, Maisie and Grant are back, now 11 and 14 and are not pleased that their dad is planning to remarry. GUP (Gay Uncle Patrick) is there for the kids when they need him. He offers to take the kids traveling through Europe for a few weeks and then meet up with the rest of the family for the wedding in Lake Como. GUP feels it is his responsibility to teach the kids about love, love languages. and help them understand their father's fiancée. This book focuses on Patrick's romantic and familial relationships. As he works to impart all of these love lessons on his niece and nephew, he realizes he doesn't quite have it all figured out. Did The Guncle need a sequel? No. But am I glad Steven Rowley wrote one, 100% yes.

The sequel we have all been waiting for to the lovely "The Guncle" series! Patrick (aka GUP), Maisie, Grant & the beloved cast of characters are back, but this time to travel the world!

Steven Rowley weaves humor throughout the narrative, keeping the story light and entertaining while also throwing the reader into a slew of emotions for the characters from happiness, sorrow, and joy. I found myself laughing out loud at Patrick and his family's antics and highlighting sentence after sentence of the character's witty banter.

Even though it has been a while since I read the first book in the series, I found myself quickly drawn back into the familiar world of the characters, eager to follow their new adventures and see how their relationships unfold.

Thank you to NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for an early copy of the book. #TheGuncleAbroad #NetGalley.

DNF @ 25%

As much as I love these characters some books aren’t meant to have sequels and I feel this is one of them. I was forcing myself to continue to read instead of enjoying the book. I missed the connection I had to the characters in book one. The antics but deep moving moments that I loved so much from the original were missing and I know I only made it 25% but being a sequel we shouldn’t have such a build up to get back into the groove of things.

Overall what I read was cute but not living up to the original so I’m going to allow The Guncle to live as a standalone in my mind since it’s a top book ever for me.

Giving a 3 bc I do see how this will land with The Guncle audience it just wasn’t hitting right for me.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons, Steven Rowley, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ebook edition in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the follow-up to Steven Rowley's "The Guncle" and it was every bit as heartwarming and wonderful as the original! The author is a master of creating characters that are imperfect and dynamic that the reader can relate to and learn from. I wish I had these characters in my real life! I will miss them now that I've finished to book.

I loved the European settings-England, Paris, Austria, and Lake Como. It was fun to travel first class virtually with Patrick, Masie, Grant, and the gang! Everything wasn't always smooth sailing, but eventually everybody worked through some difficult family issues and came out the other side as a more mature person and part of a closer family.

I loved it!